A.R.S. § 3-2007

It is unlawful to purchase or otherwise acquire possession of a hide of any livestock until the hide has been inspected for brands and marks. Possession of an untagged or unmarked hide upon which the tagging or marking has not been waived by the director is a class 2 misdemeanor unless the person possessing the hide can show that it was taken from an animal owned by him at the time of slaughter or after death, or that he had written authority from the owner to remove the hide from the carcass.